[Web4lib] Resources? -- Web Standards and Semantic Markup

[David Kane]

Hi Andrew, Tim, All,

I think that web standards can have a normative force insofar as a
standards-compliant website whose markup reflects the semantics of the
content will lend itself very readily (in my experience) to compliance
with WAI and Section 508 guidelines.

This becomes important as web sites for public bodies, like libraries,
legally required to conform to at least some of the accessibility
guidelines.

Another possible justification for standards compliance is that the
separation of style from the content typically creates a smaller file
size.  Some people also say that a semantically structured document
lends itself more readily to search indexing.  This sounds good, so you
can say it to your boss if you like, but I am unaware of any evidence to
support it.

David.

David Kane
Waterford Institute of Technology
http://library.wit.ie/
T: ++353.51302838
M: ++353.876693212